Barriers
by bubblegum love
Summary: Ron blushed. The truth was, he had been dreaming about Hermione, but he couldn’t tell them that. They had been best friends for six years, and he was not willing to scare her away from him by confessing his true feelings to them in front of her...
1. Chapter 1

**This is a Pre-"Deathly Hallows" FanFiction**

**Ron blushed. The truth was, he had been dreaming about Hermione, but he couldn't tell them that. They had been best friends for six years, and he was not willing to scare her away from him by confessing his true feelings to them in front of her.**

**Ron has become very aware of his feelings for Hermione but has one barrier standing in his way, **_**friendship**_**. Though he comes to realize that not going after her when he had the chance was the worst mistake he could have made...**

**(This story also has its eerie, angsty moments.) **

**RW/HG & HP/GW **

_**By the way...I own none of the characters in Harry Potter...**_

**Chapter 1**

There she was again...walking, oh how he loved it when she did that. It was the simplicity of the way her curls bounced on her shoulders with every step she took, the look of confidence in her eye as she trudged through the halls packed with other students, the way she moved with haste to her next class or to even catch up with him in between classes.

Though something felt different this time; as she was walking down the hall toward him, like she always did so that they could walk to potions together, he felt her hand slip into his. He threw a glance towards Harry to see if he noticed this strange yet lovely thing that was taking place, but Harry was not there. He turned to look into the beautiful face of Hermione clutching his hand and saw instead messy short dark hair, and a pair of only too familiar green eyes hidden behind his perfectly symmetrical round glasses.

"Hello Ron," said Harry as Ron yanked his hand free of Harry's. "Care to join us for breakfast?" Curious by this use of the word 'us' when he only saw Harry there, Ron leaned forward a bit to see if there was someone on the other side of Harry. Sure enough, there was Hermione, but why the hell was Harry's arm around her?

Furious, Ron exclaimed, "What the hell?! First off, we just came from lunch! And second, why _the hell_ were you holding my hand?! I thought it was..._oh never mind_." He trailed off because of Hermione being right there.

"I wasn't holding your hand."

"Bloody hell, Harry, yes you were!"

"That was your mum, she came to tell you breakfast was ready." Ron was beginning to realize the distance of the voice he was having a conversation with, and then all of a sudden became aware of his surroundings. Standing over him was a group of people laughing hysterically, consisting of Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, and the beautiful and intelligent Hermione.

"When did you get in, Harry?" Ron asked anger growing in his face, though trying to hide it due to the beautiful member of the audience he had already embarrassed himself in front of.

"Just a bit ago," Harry answered. "Perfect timing I must say..._I was holding your hand, was I?_" Harry laughed as did everyone else standing around him. Ron snarled.

"You weren't holding my hand," Ron lied.

"You argued with me insisting it was me that held you hand," Harry argued.

"It's true, mate," Fred chimed in.

"Heard it with our own ears," George said, finishing Fred's thought.

"Why are you all here to wake me up though?" Ron asked groggily.

"Why not?" Hermione spoke finally.

Ron opened his mouth to protest and was immediately cut off by Fred before being able to get a word out, "Saw you smiling in your sleep."

"What were you dreaming about?" Ginny asked laughing.

Ron blushed. The truth was, he had been dreaming about Hermione, but he couldn't tell them that. They had been best friends for six years, and he was not willing to scare her away from him by confessing his true feelings to them in front of her. "Will you guys get out so I can get to the food while it's still warm?"

"Always worried about his food," Hermione said smiling brightly. "C'mon guys...We'll head down there and wait for you." Was he imagining it or did he just see her wink at him? He shook his head as though to clear it of all fictional thoughts, thinking that if he had really seen it, the action would repeat itself. It didn't.

Once everyone had filed out of the room, Ron dressed as quickly as humanly possible and tore down the stairs though trying his best to make himself appear as though he had just moseyed his way along. The whole Weasley family was seated along the table, except for Percy of course. Harry and Hermione were more towards the end of the table, Ginny to one side of Hermione determined to be a bit harsh to Harry for being too noble and dumping her only a couple of months ago, and Ron noticed the only seat left unoccupied and his heart beat a little too hard.

"We can eat now," Hermione said happily, though it appeared that nearly everyone was done eating except for her who hadn't started yet.

He tried his best to hide how happy this made him feel by shrugging his shoulders as he sat down in the empty seat next to Hermione and began to tear into his plate of food. "I 'ope he eets more, ehh—'ow do you 'ay it..._politely_ at our wedding 'is weekend..." Fleur said snobbishly to Bill, though too quietly for Ron to understand what she had said. Ron looked up and smiled dazedly at her and Hermione rolled her eyes.

Everyone had finished eating except for Ron and Hermione which left them to sulk in the awkwardness of the situation. When Ron went for a third helping of food, Hermione pushed her chair back and stood up. "Hareharewhohoing?" Ron asked through a mouthful of food.

"What?" Hermione asked staring fixedly at Ron.

Ron chewed a while longer and swallowed and asked again, "Where are you going?"

"Oh...to write a letter."

"Who you going to write to?" Ron took another large spoonful of mashed potatoes.

Hermione paused as though to think about her response. "Well..." she began, and then she paused for another minute or so, giving Ron plenty of time to clear nearly half his plate.

He was beginning to grow impatient, "Hermione! Who are you writing to?"

"Well..." she began, wondering if she should just lie and say her mum or her dad, but wouldn't he be curious as to why she was so scared to tell him that she was only writing to her parents? She decided it would probably be best if she was honest with him. She gulped and then said, "Well...I'm going to go write to Viktor."

**Do you like it? I want feedback before I continue. Haha, no pressure...**

**So my friend pointed out to me that Ron was having mashed potatoes for breakfast, lmao! Well...it was a mistake, but it's been left there for others to try and discover on thier own, it's quite a humorous thing, so it is being left in honor of my stupidity...**


	2. Chapter 2

**YAY! Thank you to those who reviewed...especially _feisty firecracker_**** for so kindly pointing out they were all having mashed potatoes for breakfast. I have made up the explanation that, they're wizards; they don't understand that different types of food are eaten at different times in the day (just like they don't understand that you don't wear a poncho with a kilt)...haha, did anyone else catch that little slip up?**

**I do not own any of the characters...**

**Chapter 2**

The words pierced his heart like a cold knife, and once again jealousy set in and began to control all of his emotions. "Still keeping in contact with him, _are you_?" Ron snapped.

"Yes," Hermione answered in a very quiet voice. She did not much want to talk about it, but very well knew Ron wouldn't let her avoid it.

"I thought you ditched responding to that bloke a couple of years ago."

"Well...I haven't. Now, if you don't mind, I would very much like to go write to him now."

Ron was about to retort, but was distracted, Hermione was given the perfect chance for a getaway from an odd sort of howling coming from the other room, though it seemed to be moving its way into the kitchen. "Oh Bill! Listeen, I—oh, 'on't geet angree!" It was Bill and Fleur having another row about last minute wedding plans. Ron turned his head back from where they were entering the room to look back at Hermione, but realized she was no longer standing there. Ron didn't much care about his surroundings anymore. He didn't give a damn about his brother being some sadly pathetic werewolf at the moment or about the lovely Fleur entering his presence once more. He didn't even care about the food that remained on his plate, and actually he wished he hadn't taken another helping for his stomach was beginning to feel as though it wanted to return its contents.

After twirling his fork in his food for a while, not even hearing the shouting match taking place only a few feet from where he sat, Ron got up and thought it best to head back up to his room and collapse on his bed where he could think up terrible things about Viktor. _He is much too old; he should be in his twenties by now...I ought to remind Hermione of that. _Ron thought as he headed up the stairs. _And his nose is much too big; I don't know how she managed to even find his lips under something so huge._ Ron laughed, but his thrashing of Viktor was brought to an abrupt halt by the shouting match coming from his room.

"You're just too damn proud!" boomed the voice of a girl Ron knew only _too_ well. Ron hesitated, he thought it best to just stand outside the room, rather than barge in.

"_Proud?!_" Harry retorted. "Ginny, you think I'm _proud_ to have witnessed all the deaths of those who mean the world to me?!"

"No! Of course I don't, and I _know_ you don't seriously believe that I would think that!" Obviously Ginny had had enough of Harry because the next second she was storming past Ron with a look of rage on her face. Ron jumped out of her way, actually looking a bit frightened.

"Whoa!" Ron exclaimed to Harry as he entered. "And here I thought _I_ had problems. What did you do to upset her?"

"She's still upset about me dumping her," Harry answered.

"Glad as I am to hear my sister is single again, I have to agree with Ginny, you're just too proud," but from the look on Harry's face Ron thought it would be a good idea to throw in the words, "but in a heroic sort of way..."

"Just drop it. I wouldn't much like to talk about Ginny right now," Harry said changing the subject as he began to unpack his trunk. Then a big smile spread across his face as he asked, "How's Hermione doing, by the way?"

Ron looked nervous, had he really been so obvious? Trying to seem less evident he shrugged his shoulders. Harry laughed. Though trying to resist, Ron had trouble with not shifting the conversation to Viktor Krum. "How do you suppose Krum's getting along nowadays?" Ron tried to ask casually.

"I don't know, why?"

Now he had done it. All he was trying to do was find out about Hermione keeping in touch with Krum, but in a casual, non suspecting of Ron-being-madly-in-love-with-Hermione-Granger sort of way, but once again he had made himself blatantly obvious. "I was just curious, that's all..." Harry stayed silent. _He knew, he _knew, Ron thought. "_Okay!_ So Hermione's writing to him!"

Harry gave him a look of evil satisfaction. "Why don't you just ask her about it, mate?"

"I tried..."

"_And?_"

"She ran away from me."

"I know what that's like," Harry said rolling his eyes.

"In some ways, I just don't think you do, Harry..."

"_Meaning?_"

"Meaning, you and Ginny are basically still in love with each other—well you are!" Harry had given him a look of disbelief. "Me and Hermione, however, we've never been in love."

"But you have definitely loved each other..."

"What are you—"

"You snogging Lavender all over the place last year..."

"Yeah, but that was to only to—"

"_Make her jealous?_ Wow...I must have been genius to have figured that one out," Harry said sarcastically.

"Well, only because she snogged Krum!"

"No offence, Ron, but you're pathetic..."

"_None taken._" Ron said. He had obviously taken offence by this remark though, because he flopped down onto his bed in the most dramatic frustration he could muster, as though thinking it would solve this Hermione crisis of his.

"Go talk to her. Work things out between you two. If we're going on this Horcrux hunt together, you two better not be constantly fighting!"

"We never fight!"

"_Oh please, _Ron, I'm not an idiot."

"Could've fooled me!" Harry stopped unpacking his trunk to turn and glare at Ron, ready to fly into a rage. Ron taking note of his expression quickly added, "Well, all I mean is, I don't see you taking your own advice here."

Harry, not totally settled down by Ron's comment, turned his back on Ron, pretending to unpack. "I just don't want to put Ginny at risk, is all!"

"Harry, she's going to insist on coming with anyway! You don't have to sacrifice your happiness for her safety!"

"All those people who died, died because of me, Ron!" Harry was trying his best to keep calm but was failing terribly. "If I would have put my happiness last, Sirius and Dumbledore still could be alive!"

"A few people felt they were to blame for the death of Sirius, and from what you told me, Dumbledore didn't want your help!"

"Well, Dumbledore has been known to make his mistakes!"

"I don't see it as a mistake; you do have a strange way of screwing things up!" Once again Harry threw Ron the most threatening look. "I only mean that you are too proud!"

"Still agreeing with Ginny, are you?"

"Well, you just try to do everything all on your own to spare the lives of those you love, but do you think that if you tried handling everything alone you'd still be alive today? And with you-know-who back, all of us would be dead anyway."

The words hit Harry with a bit of realization. It _was_ him after all that told every one of the members of the D.A. in the Hog's Head in his fifth year, that he succeeded because he had had loads of help, though, he was not so keen to admit that Ron was right. "So...what are you saying?"

"To shove all your pride up your ass and let Ginny back in your life!" And with that Ron got up and left the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To take your advice...I'm going to talk to Hermione."

**Well, there's chapter two...**

**Go ahead...review...**_**I know you want to...**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews, they were great! Well, here's chapter three...ENJOY!**

**I own nothing, 'cept the story of course...**

**Chapter 3**

Ron left his room, leaving Harry alone to unpack, or to continue pretending to unpack. He thought of how he had finally told Harry what he had been fearful to tell him for what felt like forever. It felt strange though, and a bit of regret swept through him, normally it was characteristic for him to stay out of things, and leave Hermione to do all the arguing, but this time he had done it, and he was starting to wonder if Harry would ever forgive him.

He was headed down the stairs to Ginny's room, where Hermione was staying, when he finally began to think about what he was really going to do. His stomach was in knots, but he knew he had to face her; he had to straighten things out for his own benefit, tell her how he felt if he must. He was just about to knock on the door when none other than his very own mother and her horrible timing showed up. "Oh, good, Ron! I am in desperate need of help!"

"Wha?" Ron asked completely taken aback. He had just built up the nerve he needed to talk to Hermione, and he did not want Mrs. Weasley distracting him. "Mum...can't it wait?"

"No! This wedding is two days away and I am in need of a lot of assistance! I was just coming up the stairs to get you lot. Why don't you go get Harry and I will get Hermione and Ginny here."

Ron made a grunting noise out of frustration with his mother and marched back up the stairs to retrieve Harry.

* * *

Everyone was outside setting up and decorating the tables, though Ron was slower than the rest due to a distraction a few yards away. As he was now permitted to use magic outside of school, it made his chores a lot easier, though the constant thought of being able to slip away from what he was doing to talk to Hermione for a moment made him slip up; he ended up working on the same table for about an hour due to his mind being so full of distractions.

Ron was finishing up his table, though everyone else had long since finished their own tables and were now working on the arch. He heard people walking across the lawn towards the house, evidently well ready for a break, and then a sweet voice call out, "No, you go ahead, I'll just finish up here and then come in." It was Hermione. Ron was finally going to get his chance to talk to her, even if it meant his stomach had to be a little late for its appointment of satisfaction. He quickly hurried and finished his table and walked nonchalantly over to Hermione. "Oh damn it!" Hermione cried.

"What happened, are you okay?" Ron asked his face full of concern.

She looked up at Ron, with an expression that told him she was shocked to see him. "Yeah, I'm fine; I just made another hole in my finger. Damn thorns!"

"Why don't you just use magic?"

"I find it more rewarding to do it by hand." Ron gave her a look that said: 'who in their right minds would ever want to do a thing like that?' Hermione laughed at the puzzled expression on Ron's face. "I think it's because part of me is muggle."

"Oh...of course," Ron said, trying his best to understand what it would be like to feel _rewarded_ to do anything by hand. "Listen, I have something I need to say to you." He was looking deep into her eyes now as she worked to fasten yet another rose on the arch.

"I have something I need to say to you too!" Hermione looked up at Ron with an ecstatic expression on her face. "You go first!"

Feeling sick about finally divulging just how he felt to Hermione he was willing to find any way to put it off just a little while longer. He could tell her right after she said what she wanted to say, or he could tell her tomorrow...or maybe next week. "No, you go ahead, what I have to say can wait."

She looked at him, her eyes smiling. "Well, I wrote to Viktor, as you know...and, well, I had invited him. But, I had to ask first. Though I asked him first—"

The look on Ron's face was almost priceless. He wore a look of such utter confusion that he couldn't help but to interrupt Hermione. "_What?_"

"I got permission from Bill and Fleur _and_ your mum and dad and Victor has agreed! Ron, Viktor is coming to Bill and Fleur's wedding this weekend!"

**  
Review it. Or I hereby threaten you with no more chapters...**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, from now on there will probably be some ****spoilers**** in this story, but only in minor details. Even if some things in this story actually happened in DH, there will also be parts that didn't, because of this fanfiction being started before DH. Though the whole Krum attending the wedding...that was, well...a lucky guess. Who would've thought I would be right about something like that?!**

**I own no characters in this story! **_**Whew!**_** Glad that's off my chest.**

**Chapter 4**

"Now...you wanted to say something?" Hermione asked, though sounding less excited, but still just as eager.

"Huh?" Ron's mind had temporarily been whipped blank; the shock of Hermione telling him that _Krum_ was coming to visit had just ruined all of what he wanted to say to her. It was finally made plain to him that she obviously didn't care about him the way he cared about her. "Oh...yeah...no...it was nothing important."

"You can tell me anything, Ron. You know that, right? I'm your best friend."

There were the words that every man dreaded to hear: '_I'm your best friend_.' It was torturous to have to cover just _how_ bad it made him feel. "Yeah, I know. I just...Oh, it doesn't matter. Let's just go in and get some food." His voice sounded as happy as possible in order to mask the face he kept hidden from Hermione that was covered in disappointment and heartache.

* * *

The atmosphere in the house for the next couple of days was nothing short of chaos. There was a slight tension between Ron and Hermione, though Ron chose to cover up his jealousy to the best of his ability. Though his ability proved to be not so great, as he would take out his frustration on every little dust particle he came in contact with, as well as the unperfected furniture he was assigned to set up. It was to say, that his help with the chores seemed to burn more holes in places where they ought not to be, then actually accomplishing the chores set before him. Once again, making more work then there was to begin with. As for Hermione, she thought it was just more of Ron's immature behavior that she had gotten to know so very well over the last six years.

"Fleur is so excited to have Viktor attend her wedding," Hermione was explaining to Harry yet again that Krum was to be visiting soon (Ron listened in from a short way across the room propped against the wall, eating a sandwich in a most violent fashion). "Viktor is excited as well. He is so excited to get to see you, Fleur, and me again!" Hermione stopped and looked at Ron with a startled expression on her face, for his hand that he was using to prop himself against the wall had fallen down to his side and his head made a loud crash on the wall. Ron was rubbing his head as he stumbled towards a chair, thinking about Hermione's words, '_he is so excited to see me again_.'

Hermione turned her head back to Harry and continued on as though there was no interruption. "Fleur was actually quite happy that I invited him, because she didn't know how to contact him, really; she had me send him an invitation right away." Harry nodded his head and glanced over at the overly jealous Ron, who had taken refuge at the table, thinking he couldn't _possibly_ fall over while sitting down. "She almost started asking me if I could invite Cedric, but...well..."

The awful memory of Cedric's death once again was flooding back to Harry's thoughts, and a surge of guilt pumped through his veins. "Just drop it," Harry said as he began to walk away towards the stairs. If Harry had had any bit of motivation inside him to surrender to Ginny at that point, it had all left him now. The thought of having one more person he cared about killed for him, _killed in front of him_, gave him this overwhelming sensation that his heart could no longer work properly.

* * *

Then came the craziest day of them all: the day of the wedding. There were people flooding into the Burrow every minute: family, friends, friends of family, and of course...Viktor Krum.

Hermione threw her arms around Viktor's neck the moment he walked through the door. "How have you been?" she asked eagerly. "Letters hardly cover the details, tell me everything!"

Though from across the room Harry was talking with Ron, who had his faced crunched up into a frown and wasn't remotely interested in listening to a word Harry was saying. He wanted to stick with the scandalous topic of Hermione and Viktor. "She is _really_ laying it on thick, isn't she? What the hell does she expect to get from him?"

Harry was quite appalled being cut off mid sentence to resume the Hermione conversation with Ron that they only just had five minutes ago. "I don't know, mate. This could be another jealousy thing."

"She called me her best—"

"Friend, yeah, I know. You told me already."

"_So?_"

"So what?"

"_So_...why would she just tell me that? If she's just trying to make me jealous like _you_ think she is, why would she throw out that she's my best friend?"

"I don't know, mate. And frankly, I don't intend to ever try to know. Trying to understand a girl's mind is like trying to read Latin: it's impossible unless you know everything."

"I just don't get it...what does _he_ have that I don't?!"

"_Well_...at the moment, he's got Hermione's arms around his neck, whereas, you don't," Harry said with a smirk.

"Oh thanks, Harry, now I feel _loads_ better," Ron said sarcastically and stormed away going between throwing Harry and Krum the dirtiest looks he could muster.

* * *

The 'I dos' were said and the arch, chairs, and isle were cleared leaving a nice large dance floor in its place, in which Ron avoid for a good part of the first hour of the reception. He sat at a table facing the dance floor with a disgusted look on his face as he watched Hermione and Viktor dancing. Luckily, there had been no slow songs, because the anger built up on Ron's face might have turned murderous by something as extreme as them dancing close to each other moving their feet to an extremely slow beat.

"Just ask her to dance!" Harry said finally.

"I can't," Ron replied in hopeless tone.

"Yes, you can. Don't let Krum ruin this for you like he did back at the Yule Ball."

"I think they're together," Ron said in a voice of uncertainty. "I can't just ask her to dance if they're an item."

"I wouldn't be so sure..."

"What? How would you know?"

Though before Harry could answer, Ginny had plopped down into a seat next to Harry. "Hey guys! How you doin'?"

"Oh, I'm doing great," said Harry.

"Yeah, I'm doing _swell_..." Ron added sarcastically, and then began to mumble about nonsense under his breath.

Though he didn't get far in his ranting about how horrible the reception was because Ginny took notice of someone approaching the table and cut Ron off in order to ask, "Would you dance with me, Harry?" Though, before he even had time to register the question, Ginny was dragging him out of his chair by his wrist and forcing him to move with her to the dance floor.

Ron didn't even know what had happened. One second Harry and Ginny were there, and then next they were on the dance floor. Though, he had noticed Ginny had seen something, but what was it? Then he saw it; his heart stopped, _or so it felt_, when he saw the angelic figure of Hermione approaching him.

**I really don't feel this chapter was very cliffy, but **_**oh well**_**...I tried.  
I **_**swear**_** that I didn't mean for Hermione to seem bitchy; I didn't mean that she was purposely hugging Viktor, or dancing with him to piss Ron off. I meant it more as she's excited to see an old friend again. Though she is taking advantage of Ron's jealousy, I will admit that.**

**Well, I hope you liked it. **

**Be sure to review!!!**

_**This is an alternate scene to this chapter that the King of Cheese (better known as feisty firecracker) came up with. I told her I would put it in here just for her. So here it is:**_

(Starting at the beginning of this chapter, you should be able to figure out where it starts...)

"Now...you wanted to say something?" Hermione asked, though sounding less excited, but still just as eager.

"Huh?" Ron's mind had temporarily been whipped blank; the shock of Hermione telling him that _Krum_ was coming to visit had just ruined all of what he wanted to say to her. It was finally made plain to him that she obviously didn't care about him the way he cared about her. "Oh...yeah...no...it was nothing important."

"You can tell me anything, Ron. You know that, right? I'm your best friend."

There were the words that every man dreaded to hear: '_I'm your best friend_.' It was torturous to have to cover just _how_ bad it made him feel. "Yeah, I know. I just...Oh, it doesn't matter. Let's just go in and get some food." His voice sounded as happy as possible in order to mask the face he kept hidden from Hermione that was covered in disappointment and heartache.

Hermione walked ahead of Ron towards the house. Ron picked up a rose lying on the ground and yelled out of frustration, and threw the rose right towards Hermione. Shocked from the loud and sudden noise coming from Ron, Hermione turned around to see what she may have thought was eating his leg, only to get hit in the face with the rose. Tough the impact of the thorns cut her skin leaving a shimmering red cut upon her forehead.

* * *

Hermione entered the kitchen where everyone was eating, followed in shortly after by Ron, only to hear the cries of Mrs. Weasley, and the look of admiration from the boys that sat gathered at the table.

"Are you trying to steal my thunder?" asked Harry, starring at the familiar shaped cut on her forehead.

"I think the _better_ question would be, 'are you trying to steal my _lightning?_'" Fred commented laughing at the damage inflicted upon her head.

"How did this happen to you dear?" asked Mrs. Weasley's concerned voice. Though she was ignored by everyone, except Fred, who decided to tell her to stop worrying, and that it was quite a brilliant thing that now there were _two_ people with the completely remarkable shaped cut on their forehead.

"So what are you, now?" George asked, nearly laughing himself to tears, "the _girl_ who lived?"

Hermione smiled. "Actually, I would say so..." She threw Ron a look of utter humor and continued, "or I guess you could say: I'm the girl who lived through Ron's violent rose throwing extravaganza."

**The whole point of this thing was to be just a random bit that might make you laugh, especially the fact that a thorn on a rose thrown at Hermione gave her a lightning shaped cut on her head. Ha!  
There you go, King of Cheese...I added a bit of my own since we last talked about it.**

**By the way, I don't intend on doing this with every chapter from now on.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I guess I should apologize for the delay in how long it took me to update...**

**I own nothing in this story, except the story ;)**

**Chapter 5**

As a slow song was finally being played, Harry placed his hands on Ginny's hips, holding her at arms length as he refused to give in to temptation and move her closer to him. Though, because of their height difference, Ginny could hardly reach to wrap her arms around his neck.

"I used to always love how tall you were," Ginny stated as she danced with her arms basically reached above her head, holding onto nothing, "but, now I'm feeling as though you're just too damn tall! I feel like I'm dancing by myself here!"

"I think we're dancing just fine together," Harry insisted. "Besides, I can see you better dancing like this."

Ginny rolled her eyes and glanced over at a sweating Ron jittering in his seat as Hermione sat down in a seat next to him. She looked back to Harry. "Well...I can't really see you; your head is blocking all the light. I feel like I'm dancing with one big shadow." With that she moved closer to him, slipping her arms farther around his neck and resting her head on his chest. "I can hear your heart beat...Harry? Are you nervous about something?" she asked giggling.

He couldn't resist, he loved the way his hands fit so perfectly into the curve of her back. He gave into the temptation, "I think I'm gunna take Ron's advice," he muttered, very quietly. He thought that the loud music ringing through the garden had well drowned it out. "Absolutely not, I have no reason to be nervous, 'cept maybe for Ron over there," he lied, in a more audible voice.

Though he discovered that his joke was completely ignored and that his softly said aloud _thought_ was heard, because within an instant Ginny was replying to him. "I normally wouldn't trust Ron's advice, though...if this is it; I think I'd be willing to give his advice a shot." She pulled her head off his chest and stared up into his eyes, smiling as the sun was approaching the horizon right behind Harry, lighting up the sky with a most beautiful sunset.

* * *

Ron was sitting, his knee bouncing as he tried to speak with Hermione. "Gee, it's hot out! Wouldn't you say?" He made an effort to fan himself, though, for the first time in his life, he wished Hermione would leave so that his sweating would cease.

"I would say just a bit...dancing has worn me out a bit," Hermione agreed.

Ron scrunched up his face; he had forgotten that Hermione had been spending part of the evening with Krum. "Where's _Viktor?_"

"Oh, he's over getting us drinks, I asked—"

"Dance with me." The words poured out of his mouth before he knew what he was saying. All he knew was that he wanted to get her as far away from Viktor as possible, though he was shocked at his own abruptness.

Hermione's face seemed to show a pleasured sort of shock. "Okay."

Ron hesitated before standing, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor, almost as though he was waiting for Viktor to be approaching the table in order to show off that he now had the girl to himself.

Ron led her to the dance floor as he resisted every temptation that was Hermione. He even noticed that as her hands wrapped themselves perfectly around his neck and her feet moved in sync with his, that he couldn't resist the grin that seemed to cover his entire face.

"What are you so happy about?" Hermione asked innocently, though she knew the reason because she was feeling the exact same.

"Oh...uhh..." The question had taken him by surprise; he was so worried about what Hermione would think if he said or did anything, she was dating Viktor after all.

Hermione stared at him awaiting his answer, though for what seemed like hours he was only stuttering. "_Ron?_ Are you gunna answer me or just...do what you're doing?"

He stopped and stared down at her and just continued dancing in silence.

Hermione wanted to say something but decided to stay quiet and enjoy this time in his arms. Then as the song drew to a close she decided to break free from his arms for a moment to talk to him properly. Though, the moment she looked up into his eyes, she didn't realize what she was doing any longer, but she noticed some sort of pull towards his lips, and noticed that he must have felt it too.

Their lips were inches away from each other. The pull was getting stronger. They could feel each other's breath on their faces now as their eyes slid closed, then... "Herm-own-ninny, I vas looking all over for you!" It was obvious this voice didn't realize that the earth had stopped and insisted on interrupting them.

Hermione pulled away from Ron looking rather embarrassed. "Viktor! Oh... yeah... uhh... me too."

Ron made a noise of angered disappointment and left the scene quite unnoticed. He stormed quite loudly as he passed Harry and Ginny who were hanging onto each other by their lips in the hopes that one of them would care enough to break off with their snogging session and help him out. With what he wanted help with, he wasn't sure just yet.

He took a seat at one of the tables, and resisted screaming over the music, he had had it with that _Viktor_. After the next song finished, which thank God was not a slow one, since _Herm-own-ninny _and her precious _Viktor_ were dancing together _yet again_, Harry and Ginny joined him at the table.

"Something got you bothered, Ron?" Ginny asked as she took her seat.

Ron didn't answer; his anger was built up so much that he felt everyone deserved the silent treatment.

"Oh please, Ron... It's not that bad," Ginny insisted.

Ron sat there in silence.

"Ron, remember when you thought I put my name in the goblet? You wouldn't speak to me for months," Harry pointed out. "You thought I was trying to earn myself a bit more fame while you were just my _stupid friend_, I believe is how you put it."

"Yeah," chimed in Ginny. "Whatever problem you have with Hermione, I'm sure it's not nearly as bad as you think it is."

"Whatever you say..."

**Now...go ahead and review it!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Well, I hope you all enjoy this chapter a little more then the last...**

__

**_I do not own any characters in this story, as well as the little part I stole from A Walk to Remember. Or as feisty firecracker would say "borrowed" (just like she did my rapid heart beat thing from the last chapter). _**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

It was the day following the wedding, and the only people who still remained were members of the Weasley family who were too hung over to apparate back to their home, let alone do anything at all.

"_MY GOD!_" exclaimed Ron to no one in particular. "_WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO LEAVE?!_"

Fred and George were now hobbling quite tiredly down the stairs and into the kitchen. "Tired of us being here, are you?" George asked.

"Well, since you don't appreciate our company, I don't see why we should ever bless you with it again," said Fred, "even if it does bring you joke shop products."

"Oh you have never given me _anything_ from your joke shop!" Ron replied grumpily.

Fred gave him the best look of innocence he could muster though he gave him the snootiest remark. "You say it like it matters..."

"It doesn't."

"Didn't think so...Oh! Hey, Hermione!"

Ron didn't turn to look; though, it took a great deal of self control not to.

"Oh, hey boys!" Hermione exclaimed sweetly as she entered the kitchen. "Ron, what happened to you last night? I went to find you afer dancing with Viktor, but I couldn't find you _anywhere_."

"Got tired," Ron lied as he stared fixedly at a loaf of bread Fred was making himself a breakfast sandwich with. George seemed to look between the two with a look of mock concern on his face, holding back laughing at Ron's evident lack of experience with the female sex.

"Oh, well..." Hermione stood still, leaving the kitchen in silence as she thought; she really didn't know what to say. "Sorry."

_Sorry? _She thought._ What the hell? _Sorry?_ Is that _all_ you could come up with, Hermione?!_

"Yeah," Ron replied stupidly.

"My, my! Well, isn't it lovely this morning?" Mr. Weasley asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Yeah..." Ron replied, "lovely."

"Oh, tsk tsk, Ron," George said. We thought of _all_ people, you would at _least_ show some respect to our dear father."

Mr. Weasley gave his son an uneasy look as he clung onto his pocket where the faintest chime of money could be heard.

George responded with the same look of innocence that Fred had earlier as he spoke in a mock Percy manner. "Come now, Father. Why is it that you always suspect we want money if we behave politely?"

"Silly me," he said. "It couldn't _possibly_ have anythingto do with the fact that you two never_ do_ behave politely."

George was about to retort when the whole kitchen went suddenly silent. There was a lot of mumbled screams coming from upstairs somewhere...

* * *

Harry yawned as he opened his eyes looking about the room. It was dark. _Must still be night_, he thought as he closed his eyes to sleep again. 

As he lay in bed trying to fall back asleep he heard the faintest squeak of a door opening. He opened his eyes suddenly as though he thought someone was about to attack him. The sunlight poured in through the crack and filled the room. Nearly blinded by the sudden light Harry grabbed his wand, held it tight in his fist and sat bolt upright pointing it at this large shadow that was making its way into the room.

"Harry?" said the voice of a female. "What the _hell_ are you doing?"

"_Ginny?_" Harry asked, perplexed, as he stared at the shadow, still not fully able to see straight.

"Yes, _Ginny_!" she exclaimed. "Who were you expecting, _a death eater_?!"

"N-no..._well_...erm..._yes_...maybe," Harry stuttered embarrassed.

"Well, I'm no death eater...but who's to say I can't also put a spell on you?" Ginny asked in a seductive tone.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Harry questioned with a stupid smile plastered on his face as he switched his wand for his glasses and placed them on his face, causing the room to come into focus.

"Is it working?" Ginny smiled as she plopped down on the bed next to him.

"You tell me." With that Harry leaned in and placed his lips gently on hers.

After a minute or so passed, Ginny pulled out of their lip lock. "Listen, Harry, no matter how much I'm enjoying this—"

"Well, if you're enjoying this so much, why stop?" Harry asked, pouting as he leaned back in to kiss her.

"Just listen to me!"

"Fine..._go_." Harry felt a bit agitated that she only wanted to talk.

"I've been thinking, and when I say thinking, I mean _a lot_ of thinking."

"Yes...just get on with it." Harry had a sick feeling in his stomach, a feeling that comes when one knows heartache is ahead, and he just wanted it to be done with.

"I wanna go with you," she said hurriedly.

"_What?_" Harry asked with a shocked expression on his face. That was not what he was expecting her to say at all.

"I want to go with you," she repeated, though a bit slower than the previous time.

"Go with me..._where_?"

"I don't know... wherever you, Ron, and Hermione are going."

"You can't." Harry started to become stern.

"Why?"

"YOU JUST CAN'T!"

"Why, Harry? Where are you going that I can't go?" Her eyes became big. Harry frowned at her. "You can tell me, Harry."

"No... no, I can't."

Ginny leaned in closer to him. Harry could feel her warm breath on his neck. Ginny began to give his neck quick kisses, and would stop to talk to him one word at a time between each kiss. "Harry ... you ... can ... tell ... me ... anything."

Shivers running down his spine, Harry pushed her away. "Stop... Ginny, stop!"

"Don't be so pushy," she said as she stood up, moving to a patch of floor behind Harry. She bent down so that her mouth was at level with his ear. "I think someone is a bit tense... I'll take care of that for you."

The warmth of her breath in his ear, and the sweetness of her voice that made him melt also caused him to temporarily forget that he was upset with her taking advantage of him. As she rubbed his shoulders he began to shiver a bit more. It was when she went back to the subject of trying to figure out what the trio was up to that he came back to his senses. "Ginny! What is wrong with you this morning?!"

"Oh..._nothing_ is wrong with me." She had her hand on his shoulder as she walked around to face him, bending down to give him a teasing kiss. "I just _really_ enjoyed last night, and I wanna stay with you forever..." She placed another short kiss on his lips. "I love you, Harry." With this she wrapped her arms around his neck as she placed her lips firmly on his.

As if Ginny's behavior wasn't disturbing enough, her appearance change sure was. Harry was making almost every attempt possible to push her away, but every time he tried, she forced herself on him more. Harry sat still, his lips pressed against someone who he thought he cared about and eyes wide open, experiencing the disturbing change. Ginny was changing from herself into a woman Harry loathed like no other: Bellatrix Lestrange.

Harry used what little of his arms he could, being that they were being held tight to his side, to feel around on the night stand setting next to his bed for his wand. After getting a firm grip on it, he pointed it in Bellatrix's direction and thought as hard as he possibly could on the word 'relashio', thus causing Bellatrix to be flung back off of him and onto the floor.

Before Harry could speak, he heard the door open and sat bolt upright in his bed, sweating. It was only a dream...

* * *

**I'm sure you all hate me for only having a tiny little bit of Ron/Hermione in this chapter... sorry... I just wanted to make this chapter super interesting to make up for the lack thereof in chapter five...and what's more interesting then Harry making out with Bellatrix?**

**As well as the ending of this chapter was a little bit different then I had planed (I got talked into it), but it's going to influence future events, so bear with me.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm just gunna start off with the really rude comment that I have that I feel I must let out: **_**you all suck at motivating me!**_

**Though, I am forgiving, and I will give you this chance to motivate me more properly. I just got lucky, this chapter was short and easy to write, as well as I managed to slip away from responsibility to write some (I got in trouble though...so you better all damn appreciate this chapter! Haha, I'm just messing with you...)**

**I **_**may**_** have time this weekend, but I'm not counting on it, so...what I said in the last chapter about updating also applies to this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Five dark shapes came pouring into the room through the newly open door. He noticed he had his glasses on and his wand was dropped to the floor beside the bed.

"What the _hell_ were you doing up here, mate?" came the concerned voice of Ron.

"Fred and I here, we thought you were having an amusing dream," said George, motioning towards Ron with his hand. "Kind of like our brother, Ron here, had."

No matter how serious Harry felt about the dream, how terrifyingly stupid it was, he couldn't help but laugh a little as he thought back to Ron's dream in which he held Ron's hand.

"Where's Ginny?" Now was Harry's turn to talk, and he wanted to get straight to business.

"Ahh..." came the voice of Fred. "Dreaming about our sister, were you?"

"I believe that is the only reason I could ever dream of hurting you, Harry," said George.

Fred and George walked over to the side of Harry's bed and Fred reached out and grabbed Harry's shoulder holding it tight in his grip. "And believe me...we _will_ hurt you."

"Is that a threat?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised.

As his eyes were adjusting to the light, Harry could see evil smirks spread across their faces. This didn't help him any when it came to calming down after such a nightmare. Instead of his sweating ceasing, he began to sweat more.

Fred and George seemed to have taken notice of this and started laughing.

Harry rolled his eyes as he slapped himself mentally for being so gullible. As his eyes came to rest, he saw two figures in front of the doorway, one with long hair, and the other seemed to be bending over to be at level with the other shadow's mouth. It seemed that one was whispering something to the other, but what they were saying, he did not know. He figured these two who were talking were Hermione and Mr. Weasley.

After Harry pulled his thoughts away from Hermione and Mr. Weasley, he was going to defend himself against Fred and George for being a victim of their amusement. However, he never got the chance to, because Mr. Weasley finally began to speak. "Fred, George, come with me, and we'll head back downstairs."

Fred grudgingly let go of Harry's shoulder as he dragged his feet out of the room.

Once the room was cleared out, the door was closed and the candles were lit, Hermione made her way to the bed beside Harry. Ron seemed to want to keep his distance, so he stayed put at the foot of the bed, watching Harry with concerned eyes.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked, concern evident in her voice.

"I'm fine," Harry insisted. "It was only a dream."

"Harry, you have had your 'only a dream' times before—"

"_Hermione!_ It's fine! It _was_ only a dream!"

For some reason, far beyond Harry's and Ron's understanding, Hermione's concern seemed to vanish in an instant and she stormed out of the room and down the stairs.

"What the _bloody hell_ was that all about?" asked Ron, taken aback. Harry shook his head, his face showing that he was _just_ as confused about this huffy Hermione as Ron was. "What _were_ you dreaming about anyway?"

"I need to talk to Ginny," Harry said, completely ignoring Ron, as he got up out of his bed and made his way for the door. "Sorry, but it's important that I do."

* * *

Hermione hurried down the stairs, full of frustration for things _she_ couldn't even fully understand. As she found herself back in the kitchen, she saw Fred and George sitting at the table eating their previously left sandwiches. "Hey, Her—" called Fred, though he was cut off by a wave of her hand as she set off towards the front door.

As she was close to the door, she heard a sarcastic George yell out to her. "Hermione, don't run away just because Ron is being a prat again!"

Hermione made her way over the threshold and found herself a little patch of lawn where she could just sit and be alone, which proved to be difficult, being that some friends of the Weasleys had taken the liberty of sleeping on the lawn.

As she sat, she became unaware of the time passing her by; she didn't know if it was approaching late afternoon or late morning, but right now, what time it was, was the least of her worries. She had a hell of a year ahead of her, and she knew that, and she had, quite frankly, accepted it. However, all the times she thought about leaving on the Horcrux hunt with Harry and Ron, she had dreamt of the three of them setting off on a dangerous adventure, having each other's backs and getting each other out of tight fixes. Though, the way things were going, it seemed that nothing of the sort would take place.

Harry was being disturbed again, and she was quite sure it was by Voldemort. _If only he would learn his damn occlumency!_ Hermione thought. Not to mention, she had the burden of Ron on her shoulders. She had had her fights with him in the past, but never was it so crucial to get along with him.

A silent tear slid down her cheek as she stared at the ground, letting her depressing thoughts take her mind. What she needed more then anything right now was a friend...

She looked up towards the sky, but discovered that in her way of viewing the clouds changing form was something much more beautiful...or _someone_ much more beautiful: Ronald Weasley.

* * *

**Now...motivate me.**

* * *

**Alternate Scene:**

**I'm adding this because my friend wanted this in my story...but, I think I am through with complete and utter randomness (no offense, firecracker). The beginning and ending are the same as what is in the actual story, but the part in the middle is what is different.**

Hermione hurried down the stairs, full of frustration for things _she_ couldn't even fully understand. As she found herself back in the kitchen, she saw Fred and George sitting at the table eating their previously left sandwiches. "Hey, Her—" called Fred, though he was cut off by a wave of her hand as she set off towards the front door. 

As she was close to the door, she heard a sarcastic George yell out to her. "Hermione, don't run away just because Ron is being a prat again!"

**Starts here**:

Ignoring him, Hermione opened the door. Though, she may have opened it a little too quickly, because the moment she stepped outside her face plummeted into the grass as she tripped over a hung over wedding guest, who obviously didn't make it home the previous night.

"What the hell is going on?" the man asked groggily as he lifted his face off of the grass. Hermione figured he must have been one of Bill's friends.

Hermione ignored him as she picked herself back up and walked over to an empty patch of land where she could just sit and be alone.

**Ends.**

As she sat, she became unaware of the time passing her by; she didn't know if it was approaching late afternoon or late morning, but right now, what time it was, was the least of her worries. She had a hell of a year ahead of her, and she knew that, and she had, quite frankly, accepted it. However, all the times she thought about leaving on the Horcrux hunt with Harry and Ron, she had dreamt of the three of them setting off on a dangerous adventure, having each other's backs and getting each other out of tight fixes. Though, the way things were going, it seemed that nothing of the sort would take place.

Harry was being disturbed again, and she was quite sure it was by Voldemort. _If only he would learn his damn occlumency!_ Hermione thought. Not to mention, she had the burden of Ron on her shoulders. She had had her fights with him in the past, but never was it so crucial to get along with him.

A silent tear slid down her cheek as she stared at the ground, letting her depressing thoughts take her mind. What she needed more then anything right now was a friend...

She looked up towards the sky, but discovered that in her way of viewing the clouds changing form was something much more beautiful...or _someone_ much more beautiful: Ronald Weasley.


End file.
